Commercial Haulers

[Tdawg]

Does anyone in here use their Dmax for commercial use,,such as Hot shot,,delivery,,ext I'm planning on hiring on to a local transport buis just for weekend hauls and am looking at weights from 7,000 to 17,000.. Just wondering how your trucks have held up thanks in advance TR

[D-max Man]

Check out Broker over at pickuptrucks.com

He hauls cars around the country and he uses both Powerstrokes and D-max's.

He sold his '01 D-max with just over 483,500 miles on it and said the only engine related problem was a failed turbo.

Here is his sig over there:

02 FORD F-550 CC PSD/6
03 FORD F-550 CC PSD/6
03 FORD F-550 CC 6.0/TS ON ORDER
01 CHEV K3500 CC DMAX/A (SOLD AT 483,500MI)
02 CHEV K3500 CC DMAX/A
03 CHEV K3500 CC DMAX/A
03 CHEV K3500 CC DMAX/6
www.ullhaul.com
53'BEHIND ALL OF'EM.IT'S A LIVIN'
03 H2 ADVENTURE SERIES
02 Z06

[ 12-18-2002: Message edited by: D-max Man ]</p>

[MaxACL]

Tdawg

I deliver travel trailers out of Wakarusa (Elkhart) and the DuraMax preforms excellently.

What are your plans?

Mike

[JimErickson]

Truck bought exclusively for hauling heavy crap to nasty places.

So far only problem was an NSBU switch and Fuel Injector Rail electrical problem.

Jim

[Kennedy]

Dunno how serious you are and who is carrying the ICC authority etc, but most of the drivers that I hire aren't in it for long and they get out. Hard to find good reliable transport for 50' loads of cargo trailers...

[Maverick]

I haul mostly construction material(sheetrock, plywood, lumber) and steel metal roofing with the gooseneck flatbed. Haul cars and trailers also with 51' Take 3. Highest weight has been with my truck, trailer, 1 1500 ECSB, 1 2500HD ECSB, and 1 Suburban. Was 31,580 lbs. Was a heavy load but no problem. Had head gaskets and an injector replaced on mine for major stuff. 112,000 miles.

[srubrn]

I got a stupid question. How does someone go about getting into hauling short disance loads?

[Maverick]

So you wanna be a trucker eh?

Good place to start: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/

[Tdawg]

MaxACL

I'm looking into doing somewhat,,the same as you traver trailers,,5th wheels or whatever comes along the company is Quality transport out of Goshen Indiana,,heard anything good or bad thanks TR

[Tdawg]

Also MaxACL I'm very interested in getting started,,,my buddy hauls a 3place wedge and he does it part time I've went a few times with him and he ususally has a 7 or 8 hr drive ...I'd really like to get into a private Company though got any ideas..

[JimErickson]

Where are you located at?

Salt Lake City hot shot companies always looking for these type of people.

Although the 8 hour trip thing is fairly rare.

Salt Lake to 60 past Phoenix (13-1/2" hours 1 way) and back in 2 days is more typical

Jim

[Rebel_Horseman]

Here's a question. I'm going to get into some of the hauling myself but mostly ag loads such as cattle, hay, farm machinery and I plan on hauling short distances (day's drive in any direction form here). Does anyone out there haul with 3/4 tons? What are your opinions on the matter. I don't plan on hauling massive amounts but I'd like to get some feed back before I go any farther. I'd mostly be working for myself on the weekends to make some extra $ as it comes along.

Reb [&gt;&lt;]

[Tdawg]

Rebel

I think you'll be fine hauling light loads,,I dono how long your trailer is,,one thing I can say is you cant beat a dually for hauling major weight,,my father in law used to haul 8to10 yearling bulls with a 3/4ton chevy with a 350,,usually never got out of 3rd gear,,but the truck did well for the app....

[MaxACL]

Tdawg,
My email follows. I leave Friday night for Germany and will return to the good ole USA Sunday.

JimErickson,
Would you e-mail me off line. I have a question about the Hot Shot business.

Rebel,
Several of the trucks where I haul are 3/4 ton but there are some loads they can't and wont haul. There are times when only a dually keeps one in the comfort zone. I admit the two extra tires are a pain in the neck, like when I run over someones toes when neither of us remembered the extra width. But the hills of West Va. makes me happy to put up with the burdens. Other than my short history with my '02, I can't offer much more about hauling with a 3/4.

Mike
miketheboo@hotmail.com

[Maverick]

Most of your newer trailers (flatbeds and stock) are 102" wide. A stock dually is 96". If your towing with a 2500HD, you better watch the mirrors real close if your running over stuff with a dually. You'll really tear stuff up with the trailer pulling with a 2500HD.

[Rebel_Horseman]

Thanks for the info guys. The flatbed I'm going to be pulling is about 26' +/- with dual single wheel axles so I'm not going to be hauling a whole lot. I'm guessing the giggest thing I'd be hauling would be the Kubota 60hp 4x4 tractor with implements to the fields to cut hay. The stock trailer I have is a 20' (I think) Featherlite aluminum and hopefully I will have it loaded down. I can fit about 10 yearlings in there, 16 if I have to. Thanks for the help ya'll I really appreciate it.

Reb [&gt;&lt;]

[pull power]

Tdawg,

I too am looking seriously at hauling for a living traverl trailers, 5th wheels, etc. For the last ten years I have been a hospital adminisitrator, and basically burn out from the constant stress.

I have towed dozers, backhoes, trucks, travel trailers, 5th wheels, goosenecks, and anything else that will hook up to a truck for the last 20 years.

Could you email me at Jordan5@pldi.net? I am needing some contacts to start hauling in January.

Thanks,

David

[Brian19692]

I'm just getting started hauling cars. Making good money now but I ended up getting my own authority. That took alot longer than I figured and insurance is way more than I thought. Check the GVW on your trailer. If it and the GVW on your truck add up to over 26000 you'll need a CDL. I registered the truck for 26000 and thought I didn't need one. The officers at the first scales I crosed told me different.

[Merle]

I have a 2002 3500 Chevy with the Duramax Engine. I pull trailers and 5th wheels out of Wakarusa, IN. The truck did well until 91,000 miles. At that time I blew two injectors. I blew another one at 103,000 at which time I have the dealer replace the other 5. At 110,000 I blew one that had I had replaced the 1st time. I am afraid to pull for any distance because I am afaid it will happen again. All failures have been under load.

[chevmeister]

Ok just to help keep my friends here out of trouble:
You have to watch weight a few diferent ways.
GVWR of truck
GVWR of trailer
GCWR (gross combination weight rating)
Most of the time you will not pass the trailer GVW, But when loading remember you may be overloading the truck gvw. You will probaly get away with this unless your trailer is over 10,000. At over 10k your in a new game. Any vehicle towing a trailer over 10k must be regestered combination, truck + trailer.
if your GCWR is 26000 or more you need a CDL. Overweight fines above 26000 GVW are alot more than non CDL. With all the BS it could be as much as $1 per pound if they want to be a Nixon. If you want to play it completely legal You need PUC DOT and MC #s. Since your running a Diesel you also need IFTA stickers and to file IFTA paperwork. IFTA = International fuel tax Agreement. And the last thing I can remember you may need apportioned tags, That way your tag fees are split between the states you run in.
Im not a pro in this i just been throught it all with bigger trucks.

[Kennedy]

MOST of the guys that I have talked to have stated there is VERY little money to be made. Problem is, it is mostly 50/50 running (empty running back to PU point) unless you have a very sharp dispatcher or can find a steady back haul yourself. I thought about putting a truck/trailer on the road several years ago already, but I find it much simpler to cut a check for $6-700 to get a load brought in than run 800 miles round trip and lose a day OR pay someone to do it.

Personally, I would suggest looking into leasing on with a carrier for a short term so they can cover the insurance/paperwork details. Then you can see if it is REALLY the life you want...

Oh yeah, stay out of MI with tri-axle trailers :eek:

[Maverick]

"You will probaly get away with this unless your trailer is over 10,000. At over 10k your in a new game. Any vehicle towing a trailer over 10k must be regestered combination, truck + trailer."

When I was running in WI I was never registered as combination. It may be different for PA though. I had a 8,000 truck plate and a 16,000 trailer plate. Had a 24,000lbs GVW avail. On the scales (in WI) if they wanted to be picky I would have to drop the trailer and weigh the truck. It had to be under 8K with me and fuel and other junk. Then compare to my gross weight and find out the actual trailer weight. The reason for this is the truck and trailer have there own registration and are not registered as a combination like a "tractor". A semi (tractor) plate covers your trailer.....80,000 GVW for example. Your right on anything under 26K in IFTA exempt. Still need to do individual state registration in the states you plan to travel and get a Process Agent. Will need to apply for a USDOT # if hauling interstate freight. The system is doing away with MC #'s. Need commercial insurance and need to file your BMC-91, BMC-34, BOC-3, and MCS-150 with the Federal Motor Carrier Saftey Admininstation in Wash. DC before they will grant you any Authority to haul for hire.